Covid-19 Information

Update 21/02/2022

During last week’s press conference, a number of big changes in the corona measures were announced for society at large, and this also impacts higher education with almost immediate effect. In short: the majority of the coronavirus measures in the Netherlands will be dropped in three phases over the next month. Please read through what these changes mean for you as a student at the University of Amsterdam.

Government press conference
On Tuesday 15 February a press conference was held by the Dutch government in which they announced that hospital admissions in the Netherlands are remaining stable, and this was the metric to decide on further relaxations of the measures. Based on the hopeful statistics, the government announced three steps of relaxation. You can read the full summary of the press conference here.

For higher education, a number of changes go into effect from today, and more relaxations will happen next week.

Changes per 18 February:

No more maximum group size

The maximum group size of 75 will be lifted. This means that larger talks and events can happen again on campus.

Events allowed

It is again allowed to organize events and activities relating to education (including those organized by study associations) in-person without having to observe the maximum limit of 75 people. But events that are not related to education, such as social events, must observe the rules that apply to the hospitality and events sector. If an educational activity is followed by a reception or drinks, the rules for the hospitality and events sector also apply.

Self-quarantine after infection

The isolation/quarantine period in the event of a positive test has been shortened. The recommended period of self-isolation after a positive test result is 5 days, but you must be symptom-free for at least 24 hours before you stop self-isolating. Check the latest quarantine rules via this link.

Changes per 25 February:

Face mask no longer mandatory at Roetereseiland campus 

As of Friday 25 February wearing face masks will no longer be required on UvA campus locations. Although many students and staff will be happy about this, others will find it stressful or will prefer to err on the side of caution. We trust you to respect each other’s boundaries and concerns while we adapt to education with fewer restrictions.

Events from 25 February

From 25 February, events with more than 500 attendees will be allowed again. At indoor events attended by more than 500 people, a negative test result will be required. For events with fewer than 500 people attending it will no longer be required to show a coronavirus entry pass.

Important links

We hope wholeheartedly that the relaxations of the rules come at the right time, helping us improve the quality of life and our experiences in education. We also understand that these relaxations do not come without risk, and there are still many people experiencing difficulties or anxiety as a result. Also, the effects of the corona period will continue to play a part in all our lives. Please keep watching out for each other, be kind and respectful to each other, and never hesitate to reach out if you have any issues, no matter how large or small.

Update 17/01/2022

Last Friday (14 January) there was a government press conference announcing some relaxations and reopening of schools and universities for in-person learning. Please note that some of the general measures for everyone and the quarantine rules (for those who received a booster vaccination or who have recently recovered) have also changed slightly.  The most important changes are highlighted here.

As of 6 February: as much on-campus teaching as possible

The fundamental principle for the fourth study period (commencing 6 February) is as much on-campus teaching as possible. Some restrictions will remain in place – such as the maximum group size of 75 people – and no doubt some students and teaching staff will have to self-isolate. Hence we will still need to adapt and adopt a variety of teaching formats. Your program manager will issue information on this through Canvas or by email as soon as possible.

Face masks for students and staff

It is now required to wear a face mask at all times in university buildings, also when studying, working, and in class. An exception is when consuming food or drinks in designated areas. The government now strongly discourages the use of fabric or homemade masks and recommends using disposable face masks. You can remove your mask if it is necessary for the educational process (for example, if you have to make a presentation in class and you cannot be understood if you wear your mask).

People who have a disability or health condition (visible or otherwise) that makes them unable to wear or put on a face mask are generally exempted from the statutory requirement to wear a face mask. If this applies to you, you are kindly requested to carry your self-declaration with you.

Stay careful and get vaccinated

We’re still seeing very high infection rates in Amsterdam, and especially in the age group of students. We want to remind you again to be cautious, stay home whenever possible, limit your contact moments, and continue to follow the basic measures. Universities encourage students to get vaccinated and a booster shot so that higher education can reopen safely. For more information about getting vaccinated, please follow this link.

Support

We all are well aware of the effects of having to follow classes online and not meeting your peers or lecturers regularly: it is hard and it might get lonely at times. It is also very exhausting for the lecturers to teach their courses online, while it is hard for students to keep their focus on a screen. Let us all keep an eye on each other, and please stay friendly and patient with each other. If you feel like you need support, or if you notice anyone else in need of support, then please do not hesitate to reach out, for example to the  Study Advisors EB, or All Ears.

Committee meetings

Committee meetings will continue online as to contain spreading the disease. In case you have any questions regarding committee meetings, please reach out to operations@sefa.nl.

 

Update 04/01/2022

With a heavy heart, we have to conclude that the cabinet has decided on 3 January (announcement in Dutch) that universities cannot yet (re)open, and the situation will only be re-assessed on 14 January 2022. This means that no in-person teaching of ‘regular’ courses is allowed until a new decision is made.

Lockdown impact

The government expressed two main considerations for not allowing universities to reopen: on the one hand the rising number of infections in the age group of students (and this is especially apparent in the Amsterdam area) and on the other hand the fact that the Netherlands was not yet able to provide every age group with a booster vaccination. We want to remind everyone at the University of Amsterdam to stay cautious, stay home whenever possible, limit your contact moments with other people as much as you can, and continue to follow the basic measures. By now, every age group is also able to schedule a vaccination booster. Universities encourage students to get vaccinated so that higher education can reopen as soon as possible. For more information about getting vaccinated, please follow this link.

Support

We all are well aware of the effects of having to follow classes online and not meeting your peers or lecturers regularly: it is hard and it might get lonely at times. It is also very exhausting for the lecturers to teach their courses online, while it is hard for students to keep their focus on a screen. Let us all keep an eye on each other, and please stay friendly and patient with each other. If you feel like you need support, or if you notice anyone else in need of support, then please do not hesitate to reach out, for example to the  Study Advisors EB, or All Ears.

Committee meetings

Committee meetings will continue online as to contain spreading the disease. In case you have any questions regarding committee meetings, please reach out to operations@sefa.nl.

Best of luck for the upcoming month of classes. Let us all keep our hopes up for meeting each other again on campus very soon!

 

Update 20/12/2021

Following the latest Dutch governmental guidelines on the coronavirus, we have updated our guidelines accordingly to ensure the safety of our members. These developments have also forced us to reevaluate the events that are planned in the near future and the way we work together as a team when organizing them.

Lockdown impacts

On Saturday 18 December the cabinet announced a further tightening of corona measures during an extra press conference. Because of concerns about the rapid spread of the Omicron variant a hard lockdown is being imposed, which will unfortunately also affect us. The following measures apply to higher education in addition to last week’s measures:

  • No in-person education is allowed until 9 January. Lecturers can either decide to convert their classes into an online format, or cancel their classes. They will inform their students on Canvas accordingly.
  • All exams can go ahead as planned. Also classes with practical components, such as labs can go ahead. However (graded) student presentations and similar class activities must be held in Zoom or Teams.
  • The UB will remain open in the coming week as planned, and the study spaces remain available.

It is essential that we all do our best to respect all of the measures taken by the government and contribute as much as we can to preventing further virus spread and avoiding any outbreaks. This means in particular that you must stay home and self-quarantine if you feel ill or develop symptoms, and get tested at the GGD. This also applies if you have been vaccinated. Please do not put your fellow students or professors in the awkward position of having to ask you to go home by coming to UB with symptoms when you should be in quarantine. We are closely monitoring the situation and are in close contact with the UvA to look at the opportunities for events, both online. All of the basic rules also still apply and are more important than ever.

  • Wear a face mask, wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, cough and sneeze into your elbow.
  • It is recommended that everybody performs a self-test at least twice a week before coming to campus. Self-tests can be easily ordered for free via zelftestonderwijs.nl. Please take full advantage of this service that delivers the tests to your home. We are happy to announce that free self-tests are also available at the Roeterseiland campus (UvA). The supply is limited, and online ordering is therefore preferred, but if necessary you can ask for a self-test from the Information Desk in the E-hal (we can hand out one per request).
  • Do not come to the campus if you feel ill or have symptoms, even if you are vaccinated: stay home in quarantine, get tested by the GGD, and don’t return to the campus until the GGD advice is that it is safe for you to do so.
  • Everyone on campus is obliged to wear a face mask while moving about in the buildings. You can take it off during class or meetings when everyone is seated.
  • You are not obliged to inform Sefa if you test positive for Covid-19, but you are kindly requested to inform us via operations@sefa.nl if you have been in contact with other Sefa (active) members. This is so that, if you wish or follow GGD advice, Sefa can provide you with appropriate support and help you with communications with contacts.

These new measures are a hard blow, but we will once again have to make the best of the situation. Because we want everyone to feel safe on campus and to be able to concentrate properly on their exams, we will continue to take safety measures in line with and supported by the UvA. We will continue to make sure people are able to keep sufficient distance when entering and exiting, and in the hallways. Wearing a face mask is still required when moving around the building. At the moment it is highly uncertain if this situation will continue after 9 January, when our new teaching period begins. No later than Wednesday 22 December the UvA will inform lecturers and students about our approach for the January teaching period. We realise this hard lockdown at the end of a stressful year, in this busy period, is a big disappointment for many of us and very difficult to deal with. Please be kind and supportive to each other in the coming period as we all work hard to make the best of it.

Committee meetings
Committee meetings will continue online as to contain spreading the disease. In case you have any questions regarding committee meetings, please reach out to operations@sefa.nl.

Useful links

Please read the communications updates carefully. In case you have any remaining questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at info@sefa.nl or the University of Amsterdam through coronavragen@uva.nl. We will try to answer your questions as soon as possible.